“O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.”
– Psalm 139:1-2
Consider two things about these verses… First, they’re true! God knows you more completely than you know yourself. He knows every action you take AND every thought you think. ALL OF THEM! God hears the thoughts and conversations of your inner mind. He understands your motives for doing things better than you do. He knows your personal mix of selflessness, love, kindness, generosity, comfort, pride, selfishness, need for attention, guilt, fear, insecurity, and shame at any given moment. He knows why you do the very best things you do and the very worst things you do. He sees all that is good, bad, selfless, selfish, holy, and profane about you.
Second, He loves you anyway! Romans 5:8 proclaims, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Despite that swirl of good, bad, and indifferent in your heart and mind, God took the initiative to restore you to His love. He sent His Son into this world to die as an atoning sacrifice for your sin. Jesus took all the punishment that a just and righteous God should rightly give you in light of everything He knows about you. There is no wrath, punishment, or condemnation left for you if Jesus is your Lord. Thank you Jesus!
Nobody has ever loved you as fully, completely, and sacrificially as God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit! You are perfectly known and perfectly loved in Christ. There is nothing you need to do to earn, rebuild, or increase God’s love for you. All that was already done for you by Jesus on the cross. You simply need to repent of your sins and believe in Him to receive God’s gracious gift of unending love you don’t deserve. Believe, receive God’s love, rejoice in it, and then take up your cross today and #FollowJesus!